Richmond Hill offers break for businesses affected by Yonge construction

Hundreds of businesses can now apply for mobile signs free of charge to attract customers

Yorkregion.com
January 7, 2019
Sheila Wang

It is not easy to attract customers when your business sits right in the middle of construction.

The Town of Richmond Hill has recently made the decision to waive a $125 application fee to lower the cost of advertising for all businesses impacted by the ongoing York Region Viva Bus Rapid Transit (vivaNext) project.

Hundreds of businesses can now apply for mobile signs free of charge to encourage customers to shop locally.

“I think it definitely gives us an incentive to advertise that way. It makes it a lot more affordable,” said Michael Taggart, owner of Tru Pet, a family-owned neighbourhood pet retailer in the Richmond Heights Plaza.

In Richmond Hill, businesses are required to pay $125 for a standard application fee to obtain a permit before renting mobiles signs.

A 21-day rental for a mobile sign usually costs them another $250, Taggart said.

Running the pet store for six years, Taggart said he started noticing the impact from the construction since April. Occasionally, he heard people say that they didn’t know his store was open.

“In foot traffic, I’m down 10 per cent,” Taggart said.

He soon realized his situation was not unique after reading an article in the Liberal featuring Mr. Greek Mediterranean Bar and Grill, a new restaurant located in the same plaza who has been struggling with a very slow business due to a lack of awareness.

As the article suggested, Taggart reached out to the Richmond Hill Board of Trade for help, bringing up the additional cost of advertising on mobile signs.

“The town immediately recognized this was a tangible way to assist businesses affected by the Bus Rapid Transit construction. They were very quick to jump on board,” said Karen Mortfield, executive director of the board of trade.

The board of trade has been working with the affected businesses for a few years, Mortfield said, and it has brought to the town’s attention their needs along Yonge Street.

Local shops and restaurants have experienced decline in sales to varying degrees as customers tend to avoid Yonge Street because of the massive roadwork and traffic congestion.

It makes it especially difficult for relatively new businesses such as Mr. Greek and Tru Pet who are in the process of building a customer base.

Mortfield said she was glad the town took immediate actions to provide the advertising break as the additional fee could be “adding insult to injury” for the struggling businesses.

All businesses in the construction zones along Yonge Street -- from Highway 7 to Major Mackenzie Drive and from Levendale to Gamble -- are eligible for the fee waiver.

In order to take advantage of the new incentive, businesses should identify themselves as "ShopYonge" businesses when applying for a permit to the town’s building services division.

“I think it sends an important message that the town is aware of the challenges these businesses are facing and wants to work with them to ease the pain until the construction is resolved,” Mortfield said.

The fee break is in effect until the $430-million vivaNext project is complete which is slated for December 2020.

The project -- only 36 per cent done at the moment -- is expected to connect YRT, Viva and GO buses at Richmond Hill Centre, and TTC subway and buses at Finch Subway Station.

The fee break is the latest effort initiated by the board of trade, Mortfield said, as they have worked with the town and vivaNext to hold promotional events to help attract customers back to the Richmond Height plaza.

vivaNext has put up a sign reading “open for business” to draw people’s attention to the plaza where about 40 businesses are located.

At the meantime, businesses in the construction zones need to continue to find ways to survive and thrive as the construction proceeds.

Taggart, for one, is exploring news opportunities to advertise his business.

“I think word of mouth is the best advertising and the cheapest, but when you want to reach outside of your circle, you need to do different forms of advertising.”

Taggart said he plans to put up a mobile sign within next month while looking into digital platforms.

Another key to the problem is the “perception,” he added.

“I don’t feel the construction is that bad, but I think the perception is that the construction is terrible and (people) just avoid Yonge Street,” Taggart said.

For more information, please contact the Town of Richmond Hill’s building services division at 905-771-8810. You can also contact Richmond Hill Board of Trade at 905 884-1961or info@RHBOT.ca.